March

March is birthday month for Michael and I. We're still counting a new house as the best birthday present ever, but everyone still managed a few surprises as well. This song from the kids, was my favorite.

Close second though, was my very own Snuggie. Which the kids instantly fought over. It's been in high demand ever since. And I will say, it has come in very handy when I'm sewing in our cold basement. The blanket with sleeves is really quite useful!
Michael got his own special gifts including this spiffy new "Remote-control holder" made by Spencer and David. He also got a birthday song, but it was a lot like mine so I won't post it again. Mom and Dad also went out to dinner at Bombay House (Indian food!) which was totally awesome.
Also in March, we got to meet our first ever second-cousin on the Smart side, the very charming Molly Andronocco, all the way from Boston, MA. Her parents love skiing in Utah and we love that they love to ski in Utah. They came one night for Michael's homemade pizza along with our Sorenson cousins.

We were all thoroughly charmed.

A Day at the Beach

From the airport we drove directly to the beach. I only packed swimsuits, thinking that the hotel might have an indoor pool. Michael and I went to Newport in February 2008, and while the weather was lovely in comparison to Utah in February, no one was really swimming at the beach.
Well, we hit the jackpot for February weather. Our day at the beach was gorgeous, 80-degree weather. We went to the beach between Laguna and Dana Point. We stopped for take-out at Carl's Jr. and then ate at the park above the beach. It wasn't even crowded.

I could have stayed all day on that green grass, in the sun, with that view.
It was especially fun to be all together.

Then we hit the sand. David spent the first 20 minutes running in and out of the surf at full speed. They were all so stoked to be there. We had a great beach day. Building sand castles, catching hermit crabs, looking for shells, running in and out of waves, playing with cousins and fun Uncles (except Jim who wasn't there yet.) It was pretty much magic. I think we could have gone home after this day and called it a perfect
Sisters. This would have been such a great picture but for me. I think it had something to do with someone's comments about "bicycle kicks."

Trip to California

I am finally posting pictures of our trip to California over President's Day in February. It's taken me too long, but here goes!

The boys always brush up on the Flight Information and Safety cards.

Our kids are so used to long flights (they only ever really fly to see Grandma on the East Coast) so this flight to Long Beach, CA felt short and sweet to all of us. Plus, it was extra exotic to have the Cannon cousins on the same flight!
A successful landing. Kids waiting patiently during the rental car process and car seat shuffle. (Some of our kids rode with Poppy and Grandma so we didn't have to get a minivan.) Off to the beach . . .